Rarely are the television selections at Tribeca anything worth writing home about. In recent years, only FX’s smash hit The Bear left any real mark on the industry as a whole. With Apple TV’s mystery/crime adaptation Presumed Innocent and the pedigree of seasoned actor Jake Gyllenhaal, the television wing of this festival becomes revitalized in a major way. In what essentially boils down to a fascinating courtroom drama, a wrongfully accused husband and father of two becomes ensnared in a murder investigation that threatens to destroy more than just his career. Despite being a slow burn, Presumed Innocent is a masterful exercise in character building and tension. Asking the difficult questions about morality, David E. Kelly goes to great lengths to keep the audience guessing till the very end.
Esteemed chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal) makes a living proving ultimate guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury on a regular basis. On the surface, Rusty appears to have the perfect life. Two lovable teenage children and sweet, supportive wife, Barbara (Negga), wait for Rusty to get home each night. Both kids look more like their mother, but the casting perfectly depicts the Sabich family as a unit. One phone call changes everything: Carolyn, a fellow prosecutor and longtime coworker of Rusty’s, has been murdered in gruesome fashion emulating a prior case. Apparently, Carolyn had innumerable enemies, a complicated relationship with her estranged son, and perhaps most concerning, a baby in her stomach at the time of death.
Carolyn’s story would appear tragic beyond words, so how exactly does it intersect with Rusty’s ideal existence? Carolyn was not only Rusty’s colleague—she was also his mistress. Rusty must set out to prove his own innocence beyond a reasonable doubt, flipping his job on its head. Rusty is forced to rely on every resource he has to escape a potential life imprisonment sentence. Will Barbara and his kids stick by his side once they know the truth? Gyllenhaal commands the screen, breathing a fiery anger into Rusty that only further proves he is one of our generation’s finest acting talents. Even amongst the slower first couple episodes of the series, Gyllenhaal remains a force to be reckoned with. As an audience, we are asked to sympathize with Rusty, yet at times we also question the mere possibility that Rusty could have done this horrible act. Peter Sarsgaard’s villainous Tommy Malto certainly thinks so.
The storytelling masterfully choreographs the nuggets we do and do not know about Rusty’s past. In filling in his blanks, we also obtain further information about Carolyn. Who really killed her, and why? Though critics were only given seven out of eight episodes, these answers will presumably arrive by the time the series concludes. I already have my guesses as to the major mystery at hand, so I will be curious if the end result has been painstakingly planned ahead, a la Sharp Objects.
Each major player receives texture and depth only afforded to longform television. While a little draggy in parts near the beginning, I cannot see this material working even halfway as well if it was simply an hour-and-a-half film. By affording the narrative the proper amount of breathing room, viewers can bear witness to an impressive evolution that commingles sex, murder, racial and gender dynamics, and marriage. Those hoping to glimpse more of Jake Gyllenhaal’s impressive physique after Prime Video’s breakout Road House remake will be happy to see plenty more of him on display here. It isn’t just his body that impresses; Gyllenhaal delivers an Emmy-worthy turn in one of his first forays into television. Another not-so-surprising gem here is Negga, whose role in AMC’s Preacher was always a scene-stealing delight. Barbara’s complex feelings about Rusty and his infidelity are always a joy to watch in Negga’s hands.
America’s booming obsession with all things true crime all but assures Presumed Innocent will become the next big thing. At the very least, it will chisel another solid entry into Jake Gyllenhaal’s already legendary filmography. Building towards an explosive climax, the final few episodes essentially chart a heated court battle that will feel familiar to those who watch courtroom confessions on repeat. The approach tells a fresher story than expected, providing gag-worthy twists and turns in addition to the regularity of heated retellings and constant shifts in who may have the upper hand. Be sure not to miss Presumed Innocent, especially for fans of mysteries and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Presumed Innocent debuted at 2024’s Tribeca Film Festival; the eight-part series premieres globally on Wednesday, June 12th with its first two installments, and weekly thereafter.
